The Eye of Slain Children
by klinanime
Summary: A bit messed up.InuKikyo at first, but InuKago later. Inu has to protect the child who has a deadly talisman in him.Can he trust himself & his demon blood when it forced him to kill the woman he loved? (unfinished)
1. Default Chapter

Names are placed in "Western style," with the surnames after the first names despite being Japanese. Okay, this is SO messed up, in the sense that Kohaku is Kikyo's brother, Sango mysteriously disappeared with Miroku (They eloped, if that makes you happier), Inuyasha is acting like when he's a sap and it isn't apparent he's half-demon (he doesn't know it himself), last names don't make sense AT ALL, and it's not placed in feudal Japan. You know, this is what I'm best at; writing a story unrelated to the anime I put it under. ^-^

~*~

"Konbanwa, Kikyo. How is Kohaku? He wasn't in school today" 

"Oh, konnichiwa, Ten'ou-kun. Kohaku was running a fever today, so I kept him in." The brunette smiled warmly in return. Kikyo is nineteen years of age and rather slender, a quiet, solitary girl who worked at a catering shop and did odd jobs to support herself and younger brother Kohaku of thirteen years.

"Well, he didn't miss much in class today. I brought some worksheets he should do. If you need anything, Kikyo Sato…" Takumi Ten'ou said, getting the worksheets out of his briefcase as he spoke.

"Arigato gozaimasu, Ten'ou-kun. It's good that Kohaku has a teacher who's worried about him. I would gladly accept your offer for help, but I am worried about your safety." Kikyo took the worksheets and tucked them into her bag of groceries, pulling her coat more tightly about her as a chilling breeze flitted up the street, blowing errant snow into her hair. 

Takumi shrugged. "I'm not worried. I know the people in town say that those who guard you become cursed, but I feel that the deaths of your parents and the death of Ryota Matsushita are merely coincidences. Your parents' deaths _were_ mysterious, but Matsushita-san was old in years. His son is, after all, twenty-two."

"Ryota Matsushita wasn't that old. He was fifty-two, and the manner that all three of them appeared to have died were strikingly similar. The doctors said that they all had damage to the nervous system."

"You can't keep working so many odd jobs to support the two of you. The bills themselves must be hefty, and I know you wanted to go to college ever since I've taught you."

"I make ends meet, and Kohaku and I use the fireplace in the winter and go into the basement in the summer, so the bills aren't so heavy. I need to go, Takumi. I've never been this late before, and Kohaku will be worried. 

"I could recommend you for scholarships."

"And who will take care of Kohaku if I go to college? Oyasumi, Ten'ou-san."

"Oyasumi." 

Kikyo clutched the collar of her coat tighter to ward off the chill and turned to head to her home. Her white snow boots squelched as she walked, and her slender frame shook in the cold. 

"Yameru! You are Kikyo Sato, ne?"

Kikyo turned. "Konnichiwa, Kaede."

The old woman had rushed out to her. She had once been a highly esteemed miko, but the temple she had presided over had been accidentally burned to the ground. With it, as it's said, her skills had waned, though known of the locals dared to say it to her face. Kikyo personally thought Kaede was becoming more like a minor fortune-teller as she tried to redeem herself, but as Kikyo was a tender, soft-spoken girl she had always been polite towards Kaede.

"What is it between you and Takumi Ten'ou?"

Kikyo's patience was fading faster than the sun's rays outside as the air grew more and more frigid. "Kaede, there is nothing between us. Takumi Ten'ou is forty-three, and I am nineteen, surely you must know that." There was a slight bite of sarcasm to her statement. 

Kaede smiled, "And now that I've got your attention, there is something I must tell you." Her expression grew grim. "There is a danger approaching you. It's coming swiftly, with malicious intent towards Kohaku."

Kikyo froze, then smiled at herself for allowing the old woman to play on her fears. "Thank you for forewarning me, Kaede. How much for your warning?" Kaede was known for rushing to forewarn a traveler and then demanding a fee.

"None from you, Kikyo Sato. I can tell you do not believe me, and besides, you have little enough money to use as it is. Oyasumi, Kikyo-chan." Kaede shivered and trotted back into her house. Kikyo stood there a little before finally heading home.

She shivered and hoped that the fire hadn't gone out. Kikyo's footsteps crunched in the snow, and she sped up, walking briskly through the street. She was staring down at her feet, watching as the snowflakes fell on her boots and melted away. Light suddenly illuminated her path. Kikyo looked up. "Kohaku Sato, your fever!" 

Her younger brother had run, barefoot, out into the snow. "You're returning really late, what happened?"

Kohaku quickly took one of the bags of groceries from his sister and rushed in, shivering. Kikyo smiled, "Oh, just Kaede-sama. She stopped me on the way here."

"Oh, that old 'miko?'" Kohaku shut the door behind them. "What did she want?"

"Nothing really. Have you been running around all afternoon?" Kikyo asked disapprovingly. 

"No, just when it hit six. You've never been this late before." Kohaku took his bag of groceries into the kitchen, tracking in melting water. 

"Alright then, get back into bed and I'll bring you up something to eat." Kikyo groaned, "Oh, I'll sort out the groceries later," and dumped the bags into the refrigerator. She tossed her purse onto the counter. 

"I'm fine. You know, I'm fourteen and I ~can~ work the stove. We had leftovers from yesterday."

"You're thirteen, and you'll be thirteen until next week." Kohaku pulled a face and went back upstairs. Kikyo smiled. She sank into an armchair and stared into the fire. What did Kaede mean? 

***

Kikyo woke up awhile later, but couldn't place the source that had awakened her. She shivered. How did the fire go out? Heavy footsteps sounded from behind her. Her heart pounded and she leaned carefully out from behind the chair. A hideously deformed human-like shape stood still, looking around in front of what had been the door. Kikyo settled back in, hoping he wouldn't notice her. 

"The boy, where is the boy?" 

The hissing voice stood Kikyo's hair on end. Kaede's warning exploded upon her. The creature stalked past the stairs, and Kikyo sighed in relief. She crept to the kitchen, snatched up her purse and ran as quietly as she could up the stairs. Ryota Matsushita had given her a key to his house, and she figured she and Kohaku could hide there next door. She quickly shut the door, hearing footsteps coming up the stairs.

"Kohaku? Kohaku, wake up." Kikyo's voice shook as she opened a window.

"What is it?" Kohaku was muddled with sleep. "What's wrong?"

"Get up; get up now." Kikyo almost screamed as the door burst open. She grabbed Kohaku and leapt out the window. The shock and cold had awakened Kohaku, and he ran with Kikyo.

"Who, what was that? Where are we going?" Kohaku panted as he was pulled after Kikyo. She fumbled with the key as they heard the thing behind them hit the ground. 

Somehow she threw the door open and slammed it shut behind them as they ran in, throwing her weight behind the deadbolts. Having been through the house many times, she knew where she was going through the dark. She knew that Ryota had left a gun in his son's room, and she dragged Kohaku up the stairs and into the room, allowing a shriek to escape her as the door below them shattered. She threw the door to the room shut and locked it. Pounding footsteps sounded at the foot of the stairs, then slowed. There was no place to run, and that thing knew it.

Kikyo hugged Kohaku into her, waiting for the end, all thoughts of the gun had fled. Then, there were footsteps behind her. Kikyo turned as the door to the bathroom opened. A man stood there, a towel around his neck. "W-who are you?" Kikyo stammered, frightened. She clutched Kohaku closer to herself.

"I should be asking you that. What are you doing in my house?" The man peered closer. "Kikyo? Kohaku?"

"Inuyasha!" Kikyo looked up as Kohaku spoke with relief. "I thought the training would only take a year. You've been gone for five."

"Yeah, well... What's going on?" The door burst into pieces as he spoke. Kikyo screamed. 


	2. chap 2

Some bits of boring dialogue and explanations, but the pace'll pick up soon. And Inuyasha will become impatient with Kikyo and get over not seeing her for awhile, just not this chap.

~*~  

Inuyasha Matsushita, the son of Ryota Matsushita, pulled Kikyo and Kohaku behind him. "What is that thing?" He surveyed it. It was obviously a biped with a spinal problem, large wings and curving claws accented with blood-red eyes. 

"I don't know," Kikyo whispered. The room had begun to spin and she felt her legs giving out. Kohaku grabbed his sister as she began to fall. 

"I am looking for Kohaku Sato." The voice was low, and Kikyo felt her skin crawl at the sound.

"He is currently not seeing visitors," Inuyasha sneered. The creature made to shove him aside and Inuyasha drove a foot into its stomach. It wasn't even fazed, and Inuyasha was sent flying into the bed, head striking the wall sharply. Kikyo caught her breath as the creature ignored the recovering man and stalked towards Kohaku and herself, and she maneuvered herself in between Kohaku and the bakemono. 

She closed her eyes tightly, and clutched Kohaku tightly to her; though her mind had long ago fled she knew it was over. Instead of a sharp pain tearing through her body, Kikyo felt a warm liquid showering herself and Kohaku. She opened her eyes and saw a faintly glowing hand covered in black blood that had been thrust from the bakemono's back through the chest. Inuyasha himself had his own blood dribbling down the back of his neck as he hauled the body away from Kikyo and Kohaku. He stared at the blood on his arm in disgust.

"It's definitely not human." He opened the window and unceremoniously heaved the body out. He crossed the room again and offered Kikyo and Kohaku a hand to pull them up and thought better of it as Kikyo shrank away from the dark, thick blood. He helped her up with his other hand. "Are you two alright?"

"H-hai," Kikyo mumbled, helping Kohaku up. Kohaku nodded. Inuyasha had already gone into the bathroom and was scrubbing at the blood on his arm. It was thicker than human blood and was stubbornly clinging to his skin. 

Inuyasha surveyed Kikyo and Kohaku and said, above the sound of running water, "You can use one of the showers if you want to get that stuff off, as long as it isn't my father's, just in case he comes home soon. Do you know where he is, anyway? He's usually not this late."

"Your father?" Kohaku's voice was somewhat incredulous, "You mean you haven't heard?"

"What do you mean?" Inuyasha walked back into the room shKohakung water droplets from his arm, which was pink from his vicious scouring. His own blood had dried on his neck, though he wasn't aware of it.

"Your father died a year ago, Inuyasha," Kikyo said apologetically. She watched as Inuyasha's lips tightened, drawing his mouth into a grim, straight line. 

"I see." 

Kikyo wanted to run to him and comfort him, but she just stood there, the barrier time had built up being too new, watching as he stood at the window, forehead against the cold glass. He stared bleakly at the snow falling onto the streets, his breath fogging up the window.

As he started to say something, Kohaku choked and began to cough instead. "Oh, Kohaku; I forgot you had a fever," Kikyo said quietly.

Inuyasha turned from the window. "He has a fever? I'm afraid I don't have much medicine around here…" 

"No need, there's some medicine that's supposed to repress his fever on our kitchen counter." Kikyo tried to stand, but her legs gave way in seconds.  Inuyasha noticed that she was shaking uncontrollably.

"You should probably stay here tonight; I don't think you could make it to your house. Will you need anything else besides the medicine?"

Kohaku nodded, and said, "Probably just some clothes. That oni most likely tore up our house, and we'll stay with you until the house is repaired, if you don't mind."

Inuyasha smiled slightly, "Well then, choose a bedroom. There's no one else living here." He said the last comment with an obvious edge of bitterness as he grabbed his coat and went down the stairs.

Kohaku helped his sister out of Inuyasha's bedroom into one directly across the hall. "I wonder why that thing was after me," he mused as Kikyo sank down onto the bed. Kohaku switched on the light. "I mean, what have I done to it?"

"It's like a nightmare I'll never wake up from." 

Surprised, Kohaku turned. "What do you mean?"

"I saw one of those… things before, shortly after you were born. Remember Mother and Father were found dead about a month after you were born? One of those things showed up, and he and Father had an argument, and Mother was screaming next to him." 

"And you kept this from the police?" 

Kikyo nodded. "I was five, Kohaku, and I was hoping it wasn't real." Kohaku hugged his sister as her voice trembled and trailed off.

Kohaku then looked at her. "It's such a coincidence that Inuyasha got home tonight after five years, you know. A lucky coincidence, but still…"

Kikyo shrugged, blushing. This was the guy her friends had envied her for often visiting, as Ryota allowed Kikyo and Kohaku to live in their own home, checking up on them often. Kikyo remembered when Inuyasha had given Kohaku and herself rides to school in winter, and her friends would always claim how lucky she was. Kikyo wondered what they would say if they saw Inuyasha inviting her to stay, then remembered that most of them were away at college. "At least he was here," Kikyo mumbled. 

"Here." Inuyasha was back, and he lowered two backpacks. "Um, if you two would like to stay in the same room, I can get another mattress or something." 

Kohaku smiled, "Yeah, that would be great."

Inuyasha smiled rather grimly, saying, "You were right about the house. It's a mess. The front door's smashed in, the stair banister is wrecked, and other doors are gone." He then allowed a full smile to spread over his face. "Luckily that bakemono only tore the door off its hinges here, and I can fix it tomorrow. It'll just be cold tonight."

"Inuyasha, why did it take you so long to get back here?" Kikyo asked.

Inuyasha shut his smile off. "My sensei and I didn't quite agree on some things, and I left early without any money for a plane ticket." He shrugged. "I worked for a couple years before finally being able to hitchhike back here. I'll get a mattress in here, now." Inuyasha left the room in a hurry.

***

Kikyo woke with a start as the doorbell rang. For a second, she couldn't place where she was, and heard footsteps running down the stairs. Then she remembered and sat up. She had taken the mattress on the floor, and she looked up at Kohaku, who was still asleep. Kikyo crept up to him and felt his forehead. The fever had receded, though he still looked a bit flushed. She looked at the little alarm clock on the bedside table. It was five in the morning.

Carefully and quietly pushing the door open, Kikyo stepped into the hall and shivered in the cold. She stood at the top of the stairs and listened to the conversation below. "Ssh, please. I tell you that they are fine, but currently sleeping." Inuyasha's voice was whispered and strained as he tried to quell the veritable mob at the door.

"And when did you get back?" a shrill voice screeched, and Kikyo knew it woke Kohaku. "How do we know ~you~ didn't attack them?"

Another voice, which Kikyo recognized as Takumi Ten'ou's, hissed, "There is no proof, Saito-san, so please calm your seething mind. Matsushita-kun, we noticed that the door to the Sato residence was smashed in, and the house is a wreck. And we see that there is a body of an oni-like creature in front of your house with a hole through its chest. Then, you happened to arrive home last night. These circumstances are very shady to us."

Kikyo quickly went down the stairs. "Please, minna, Kohaku is asleep and he still has traces of the fever." Inuyasha turned, looking up at her. "We were attacked last night by the oni and Inuyasha assisted us, then allowed us to stay at his house since ours is currently uninhabitable."

Takumi gave a curt nod of his head. "That clears things up considerably. Gomen nasai for disturbing you, Inuyasha." 

Inuyasha shrugged and closed the door. "Ohayo (good morning)," he said wryly to Kikyo. A door shut above them and Kohaku came around the corner and down the stairs.

"What happened?" he asked, yawning.

Smiling slightly, Inuyasha said, "Well, since we're all up, how about some breakfast?" Kohaku brightened considerably. "What's today, Friday?" 

Kikyo nodded. "Are you feeling up to going to school today, Kohaku?" she asked, "I noticed your fever is nearly gone."

"Yeah," Kohaku said, "I can't miss too much of school."

"Not that it would make a difference, whizkid. I guess I'll walk you to school on my way to work," Kikyo said fondly. 

"He's still at the top of his class, eh?" Inuyasha smiled as he walked towards the kitchen. The side door that Kikyo and Kohaku had fled through was only held in place by the deadbolt Kikyo had slammed home, and Inuyasha hadn't bothered propping it up to keep the snow out of the kitchen so a good foot in to the house was covered in snow. Kikyo shivered. Inuyasha sighed carelessly, "Looks like I'll have to get that fixed soon, before I go looking for a job here."

"You might as well get it fixed now, and I'll get breakfast together," Kikyo said.

"Good idea, since whatever I cook will probably give you indigestion."

***

Inuyasha leaned pensively against the wall, slowly rotating his cup of coffee which was now completely chilled. He stared deep into the dark liquid, as if it would give him the answers of the world. He shook himself and turned to stare out a window and took a drink. Pfft! He spat it out and stared at the mug in disgust before turning towards the microwave, then changed his mind and set it on the window sill. 

He leaned his forehead against the cold glass in the same manner as the previous night. He had held a grudge against his father for withholding money from him when he had left his "training." Heck, he held a grudge against his father FOR sending him to that place to work out his chi. Still, Ryota Matsushita had died and he was his father. Inuyasha slammed his hand on the sill and his coffee splashed from the cup onto the white paint.

Slumped against the wall, Inuyasha slid down and buried his face in his hands. His mother had also died, and now he was on his own. Well, not entirely considering Kikyo and Kohaku. He banged the back of his head against the wall and heard his cup chink above him. Inuyasha sat that way for a time, just trying to quell his feelings with his eyes tightly shut to guard against tears. Suddenly, the cup began to chink again, rapidly shuddering on the sill and Inuyasha felt the ground beneath him shake slightly. Again, the cup was shaken from its foundation as something landed in the front lawn, then the cup suddenly toppled from the sill. It narrowly missed Inuyasha and smashed upon the floor, splattering him with cold coffee. Inuyasha stared bleakly at the mess on the floor, and the puddle of coffee trembled as if alive as something was coming towards the house.

Inuyasha stood up quickly as a quiet clicking noise sounded from the front door. Someone was picking the lock. Pulling his gun from his holster, Inuyasha cautiously approached the front hall. The door slammed open and Inuyasha swung around. Another bakemono stood, slouching, rolling gait apparent as it moved towards him. Inuyasha fired, but the bullets bounced off the creature, and he threw the gun aside in a temper. The bakemono, however, stopped and looked carefully around. "The boy is not here, Jehpthuh. Let's away." 

"What do you want with Kohaku?" Stomping outside, the creature ignored him as Inuyasha darted towards it and another little bakemono that reminded one of a lizard in essence if not in likeness. Inuyasha skidded in the snow they had tracked in and almost fell, catching himself at the door frame. The bakemonos took off, wheeling for a minute before heading towards the school.

Without a thought to the wide open, yawning door, Inuyasha darted after them, ignoring the cold biting at him and kicking up snow as he ran. He slid down a hill, catching his balance and continuing the chase.


	3. chap3

This is really short, but this is all I got done this week. Gomen. ^^

~*~

"So what was going on over at your place, Kikyo?" 

"Nothing really, Miki. I'm serious." Miki peered closer and stared at Kikyo  until she was very uncomfortable. 

"Sure, whatever, Kikyo." Kikyo grumbled and turned away from her co-worker. "What the…?! Kikyo, there's a man outside running without a coat or shoes!" 

Kikyo turned towards the window. "Doshite...?  Inuyasha!"  She dashed out the door, grabbing her coat.

"Chotto! Kikyo, your shift!"

"Gomen, Miki!" Kikyo dashed after the quickly receding figure ahead of her. "Inuyasha-kun! Inuyasha-kun! What is wrong?"

Somehow, through the great distance, he heard her. "It's Kohaku! There are more oni aloft!"

Kikyo's breath caught in her throat. Kohaku…

***

Kohaku grinned, though his throat was still paining him. "Hai, I got my homework done. I wasn't even here yesterday."

"But you're a geek! You LIKE school!" 

"So? Is that a problem?" A large shadow crossed them. 

"That's a big bird…" Kohaku and his friends looked up. A winged oni had soared overhead and was turning back. "WHAT THE HELL IS THAT??" Kohaku hardly heard his friends shouting. The blood pounded in his ears as he turned and ran. Behind him, he heard the bakemono gaining on him. Kohaku suddenly slipped and fell in the snow full into the fence, and he shook the white mass of cold and wet from his eyes as he looked up at the oncoming creature. He willed his legs to move, but discovered they were broken. He hadn't even noticed the pain as blood spilled onto snow. He turned back towards the oncoming oni.

A snarl came from behind him, and suddenly Inuyasha leapt before and above him. "I had asked you… a question!"  With that, Inuyasha brought an arm behind him and, gaining momentum, swung downwards and destroyed the larger bakemono. He landed, and turned, arm covered in blood. The lizard like creature screeched and looked up to the sky. "We're going to need reinforcements!" 

"So you're an organization." Inuyasha snarled. He strode purposely up to the bakemono and snatched it up by the neck. "What is it you want with Kohaku?" The creature twisted its face in a queer, grimacing smile and snapped his fingers. Inuyasha found himself clutching air as it melted away. Inuyasha looked up as the sky suddenly blackened with a thousand demonic presences. Kohaku was speechless with fright as he was surrounded. 

Inuyasha beat at the bakemono around him, and unable to move towards Kohaku, he yelled. "KOHAKU!!"

Out of nowhere, Kikyo ran up, panting hard. She had managed to snatch up a shovel. As the oni began to pluck at Kohaku, she dashed in. "Leave my brother alone!" She hefted the shovel and … WHACK! 

With an angry shout, Inuyasha slew the bakemono around him and dashed to their sides. He pulled Kohaku to his feet, "Come on, run!"

Kohaku collapsed with a shout of pain. "My leg!" 

"I don't have time for this." Inuyasha hefted him up and grabbed Kikyo. Kikyo clung to him as she felt her breath being whipped from her. The bakemono fell behind, and Inuyasha attempted to hide behind a dumpster. He barely managed to leap out of the way of a snake-like bakemono that crushed the dumpster to pieces. Inuyasha, panting a little, headed towards the forest, the cold beginning to bite his bare feet. 

Inuyasha slowed and set Kohaku and Kikyo down when they were deep among the trees. He stood still, warily staring around him as Kikyo tended Kohaku's wound. He sensed that there was someone behind him, and he turned slowly. It was almost as if he couldn't stop himself as he walked past Kohaku and Kikyo.

"Inuyasha, where are you going?" Kikyo looked up.

Inuyasha seemed to sniff the air. "I think there's someone there. I can't tell who, or where, exactly, but someone's there."

Kikyo shivered in the cold. "Hurry back. I fear that we may be attacked soon."

"Hai. Well, ja." Inuyasha flashed a reassuring smile, then winked and left. His face grew hard as he walked further away. The back of his neck prickled as he felt the air stifled and heavy with malice. The cold was biting into his skin now. 

Suddenly he paused, and before he could turn someone had grabbed him from behind. "Yameru!" he yelled before a hand came down over his mouth and stifled his cries. He felt someone roughly pull out the thin chain from under his shirt, pulling hard and breKohakung it from around his neck. The ancient talisman that it had suspended was flung onto the snow, and Inuyasha felt another hand, cool and distant, reach up and touch his forehead. Before his mind fled, he saw the man it was attached to. Nibori…


End file.
